Hi Jolamine, that's good that you finally got there. It did sound like it took quite a bit longer than you expected to get the sale through! I'm glad it's all sorted now though and you are going to get more free time! Ah I see, my thoughts are with you both. I hope he is managing ok and the surgery was successful. If not I hope the cortisone injection works, I have heard they can be very effective. My thoughts are with you Jolamine.

Yes I didn't really get that far with my doctor but as I have just moved surgery I think for now I just wanted to get things started. It's difficult as it was a phone appointment so I didn't feel like I had much time to chat. Hopefully I can get in at some point and see if there are other avenues to explore. Maybe there are some new tests that may be able to help. He offered me the psychotherapy so I took it. I'm open to anything that can help me! You are right Jolamine, there's lots of times when you need your mum! I definitely feel like she is there and I do chat to her, it definitely helps even if it's not enough sometimes! Thank you I have been feeling a little better, I know when I have my bad patches it's usually just time that helps. 
 

Thank you Jolamine, that means a lot to me. I hope you get some good news with your son and you are enjoying your extra free time! You look after yourself Jolamine. X

Simon

good luck xx

Hi Simon,

I am glad to hear that you are feeling slightly better - as we said before, you will get 'ups' and 'downs' for quite a while yet. I am sorry to hear that you didn't really get that far with your GP, but you have at least got things started, so it wasn't a total waste of time. You might find it helpful to write down some of your past history before you talk to him again, as many doctors don't take the time to go back as far in your medical history as you need to go. If you can give him a potted history with tests, time frames, what has been done, medication tried, etc., he may become more interested. You can then explain that you are aware that there have been many advances in medicine in that time and see if he can suggest anything new that might be able to help.

Did he give you any indication of how long you are likely to have to wait for a psychotherapy appointment? - I hope that it won't be too long.

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi Jolamine, thank you. Yes I am a little better now. I have had a bad patch so I understand what you mean. It varies so much and comes out of the blue. Yes I think at least I got a start with my GP. I think you are right, when I spoke to him he said he only has a few notes so I don't think he has too much idea what has been going on. It will definitely be worth me doing a timeline of sorts. There was quite a lot happening at the beginning and then it tailed of when they were struggling to find the cause. They was 19 years ago though so I can understand why that happened. Perhaps if he knows the full story he may be able to do more. I last saw the specialists over a decade ago so things may well have changed.

He said there's quite a bit of a wait for the pshycotherapist so I'm not sure exactly how long it will be. Looking online it can be in the months but I believe they will to see you within 16 weeks. It's not the quickest but I'm happy to wait as long as something is beig done. How are you Jolamine, I hope your son is doing as well as can be. I hope you are starting to get used to your free time you have now! The weather has been nice for a few days hasn't it until we got snow today! Haha. Hopefully the weather will improve and then you can start planning all your day trips! You take care Jolamine. X

Simon

Hi Simon,

Most doctors have transferred over to computerised notes in the past 19 years. As far as I understand, only the past 4 years notes previous to the changeover have been updated on computer with my GP. If your practice is the same, your GP may only have a very patchy idea of what has been done for you previously. This is why I suggested that you write a potted history of tests, outcomes and timelines.

I have been busy planting seeds and getting the garden tidied up. We also had the snow, just two days after I had planted all of my seeds. Fortunately, I have a heater in the greenhouse.

Kind regards,

Jolamine x

Hi Jolamine, I hope you are ok and your son is doing ok too. Ah I never knew that. I thought they had your whole back history. It definitely makes sense to let him know then as there hasn't been much done in the last 4 years. I will write everything down as you said. It can't do any harm anyway. I think it will take some remembering, my illness started 19 years ago now! It's unbelievable how time flies.

That sounds nice Jolamine, it must be good to have a green house. I've never tried growing things, I doubt I would be any good at it but I should give it a try! Yeah we had a little bit of a bad patch but it's been a little better this weekend. The sun came out anyway for a little bit! I've been trying to get out a little  more even or it's just sitting in the garden. It's so easy to just sit in the same 4 walls. My mum always said you need to get outside, fresh air is good for you so that's what I'm trying! I hope everything is ok with you Jolamine. You take care. X

Simon

Hi Simon,

I'm not sure if this is what your practice may have done- it certainly is the way most practices up here have coped with the changeover. You should certainly try a little gardening idf it interests you. It's a great way to get out in the fresh air and it's lovely to see things that you've grown flowering or reaching fruition. Don't worry about not being any good at it. Anybody can grow things. 

I should get out more frequently myself and the garden forces me to do this - as you said, it's all too easy to sit in and stare at the same 4 walls every day. I hope that you are gradually feeling a little better. You will get spells like this unfortunately and it's a case of getting through these any way you can. We had a lovely spell of weather just before the snow, but it has been decidely chilly since then. Here's hoping that it picks up again for Easter.

Take care Simon.

Kind regards,

Jolamine, x

Hi Simon,

There is never any hurry to reply to me. 

Some flowers only last for the one season - usually summer and then die back when the first frosts appear. Others are what is called hardy annuals and these come up year after year - or should do this.  I find that a lot of plants, which are supposed to be hardy, still cannot cope with the very hard frosts that we get in Scotland. To be honest, I find it difficult to cope with our large garden now, but once I get my house sorted, I think that we will be looking for something smaller and easier to keep. The one good thing though, is that it forces me outside, as I'm a bit of a couch potato otherwise.

How did you get through Easter Simon? Weather was nice here today, so I spent some time potting seedlings on - I've still got plenty more to do though!

Kind regards,

Jolamine xx

Hi Jolamine, how are you? Ah I see, I'm not too well up on the gardening thing. It's about time I learned! Lol. I did realise some plants only bloomed certain times of year. I do prefer those Hardy annuals! I never knew they were called that, I just thought they were all year round plants. It sounds like you know what you are doing Jolamine! Ah yeah in Scotland you do get quite bad cold patches. I'm near Manchester so I'm in the middle. It always seems to be warmer down south! 
I know what you mean Jolamine, it's so easy to just let the days go by without doing anything. You get set in your ways and I don't go out as much as I should. It's just a habit you get into but I am trying to get out like you. It sounds like you could do with a smaller place, big houses are a real pain to look after. I think smaller is better as far as keeping on top of everything. 
It was ok thanks Jolamine, to be honest I missed my mum a lot and Easter is a time that I have never really paid attention to before but it was a lot more difficult than I expected. You can never tell how you will feel, every holiday is like a new experience. The first one without always seems tough. How was your Easter Jolamine, it sounds like you got a little bit of gardening done, it has been really nice weather hasn't it. Spring finally arrived! Lol. I hope all is well and your son is doing ok. You take care Jolamine. x

Simon